Editor's note: An earlier version of this story incorrectly described the change in price and base price of the 2015 F-150 King Ranch pickup.
DETROIT -- Ford Motor Co. is raising prices on the new 2015 aluminum-bodied F-150 pickup by $360 to $3,615 and has trimmed the number of models to five from 11.
When the new truck arrives this fall, the least expensive F-150 will be the XL model powered by a 283-hp, 3.5-liter V-6 engine at a starting price of $26,220, which includes the $1,195 shipping charge. That’s an increase of $395 over the steel-bodied 2014 base model.
The most expensive F-150 will be the Platinum model with a starting price of $52,155, including the $1,195 shipping charge. That’s an increase of $3,055.
Overall, prices are going up 1 percent to 8 percent, depending on base trim line. Prices for four-wheel drive models will be higher.
The King Ranch luxury truck gets the biggest price increase -- $3,615 -- over the 2014 model. The 2015 King Ranch has a base price of $49,690, including shipping.
Prices on the XLT model will rise by $340 to $31,890, including shipping, Ford said.
Dealers can begin ordering the truck today. Ford has said production will begin in the fourth quarter.
"Ford is likely trying to signal the dealer base that it expects to remain competitive in the lower end of the market -- where Ram has made inroads -- while reinforcing its price leadership in upper trim levels," Barclays analyst Brian Johnson said in a report today.
The base XL and XLT models account for roughly 70 percent of F-150 volume.
The F series has been the top-selling vehicle in the United States for decades and is the automaker’s most profitable nameplate.
Ford has increased the standard equipment on all variants of the redesigned F-150. For 2015, for example, two information screens are standard: a 2.3-inch screen in the instrument cluster and a 4.2-inch screen in the center of the dash.
All models will have a telescoping steering wheel and two additional speakers, Ford spokesman Mike Levine said.
Ford also has released pricing on the F-150’s new engine lineup. To go from the least powerful 3.5-liter nonturbo V-6 to the most powerful F-150 engine, the twin-turbo EcoBoost 3.5-liter V-6, will cost an extra $1,995, a decrease of $100 from the 2014 model.
The 2015 F-150’s engine lineup starts with the 3.5-liter nonturbo V-6. Next is the 325-hp 2.7-liter EcoBoost engine, which is expected to be the most popular choice. That engine will cost $495 more than the base engine. Next up is the 5.0-liter V-8, and the top-of-the-line engine remains the 3.5-liter EcoBoost twin-turbo V-6, which accounts for more than 40 percent of current F-150 sales.
The 2014 3.5-liter EcoBoost engine is rated at 365 hp. Ford has not released power figures for the 2015 version, or the 5.0-liter V-8. Estimated fuel economy ratings have also not been disclosed for the 2015 F-150.
All four F-150 engines are mated to a six-speed automatic transmission. On average, most 2015 F-150s will weigh around 700 pounds less than the equivalent 2014 models. The weight loss is mostly from the all-aluminum body, but Ford also reduced the weight of the truck’s frame by using high-strength steel.
Though 2015 prices for the F-150’s two chief rivals -- Chrysler’s Ram 1500 and the Chevrolet Silverado -- have not been released, the three trucks are likely to be priced very closely. The entry level 2014 Ram starts at $25,315, including shipping, while the base Silverado model starts at $26,670, including shipping.
Johnson, in his research report today, noted that Ford has signaled it intends to reopen the $3,000 to $4,000 gap in average transaction prices it has historically maintained against GM.
"That price gap has currently narrowed to $1k, and with lower incentive spending on the new F-Series and some higher spending on GM carryover trucks, Ford is likely to reach that $3-4k ATP edge," Johnson said.
The revamped F-150 is being introduced into a U.S. full-sized truck market that has cooled considerably after expanding 17 percent in 2013. Deliveries have increased 4 percent this year, matching the overall light-vehicle market, through June.
F-series and Silverado volumes have each slipped 1 percent, while Ram sales have jumped 20 percent.
Among the F-150 models that won’t be in the 2015 lineup: Tremor, Raptor, STX, FX2, FX4 and Limited. The popular Raptor is likely to return in 2016 or 2017.
